December 14, 2012

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Thinking Outside the Multiplex in Indiana: December 14, 2012

by HELEN GEIB

In what might be a first (but don’t quote me on that), all four Indianapolis AMCs have a limited release film this week- but not all the same one. Part of the reason is Hitchcock‘s expansion, both in Indianapolis and to a few other cities around the state. Repertory pickings are a bit slimmer than usual thanks to winter break in the university towns.

Note: For trailers, cast and crew, and suchlike follow the title link to the movie’s official website. For showtimes and directions for the non-multiplex venues, follow the links under “Outside the Multiplex” in the sidebar.

OPENING THIS WEEK IN LIMITED RELEASE

Holy Motors– From the official site: “[A] deliriously entertaining and defiantly strange journey of the soul that careens through the streets of Paris exuding comedy, mystery, romance, intrigue and melodrama. HOLY MOTORS is a love letter to both the City of Lights and the flickering lights of movie magic through the years, as embodied by one of the most mischievously original screen protagonists in memory.” It starts today at the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne (no show Wednesday due to a special event).

The Other Son– This drama from Israel explores geopolitical and cultural issues through the medium of a switched-at-birth story. It starts today at AMC Castleton Square 14 in Indianapolis.

THEATRICAL HOLDOVERS (AND “RE-OPENINGS”)

Anna Karenina– Keira Knightley and Jude Law star in this new adaptation of the classic novel which director Joe Wright (Atonement, Hanna) has given an intriguing theatrical staging. It holds over at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis and AMC Bloomington 11.

Hitchcock– “When the tumultuous, against-the-odds production was over, nothing about movies would ever be the same, but few realized that it took two to pull it off.” Anthony Hopkins plays Hitch and Helen Mirren is Alma Reville, the director’s wife and filmmaking collaborator. Hitchock holds over at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis and expands to the Goodrich Hamilton 16 in Noblesville, Goodrich Portage 16, AMC Schererville 16, Regal Village Park 17 in Carmel, Showplace Cinemas East in Evansville, and three of the four Indianapolis AMCs: the Indianapolis 17, Traders Point 12, and Washington Square 12.

Khiladi 786– This Bollywood action-comedy stars Akshay Kumar and Asin. It’s the eighth installment in what is obviously a very popular franchise, and it holds over at the Republic Theaters Georgetown 14 in Indianapolis. The title links to the official Facebook page.

Lay the Favorite– Based on a memoir, Lay the Favorite follows the changing fortunes of a young woman who becomes caught up in the world of sports gambling. It stars Rebecca Hall, Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Joshua Jackson and was directed by Stephen Frears, and it holds over at the Movie Buff Theatre in Indianapolis.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower– “A funny and touching coming-of-age story based on the beloved best-selling novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a modern classic that captures the dizzying highs and crushing lows of growing up.” It holds over at the Starplex Cinemas Coventry 13 in Fort Wayne.

Searching for Sugar Man– This documentary chronicles the incredible-but-true story of how an obscure record by a Mexican-American singer-songwriter named Rodriguez became the anthem of the Afrikaners’ anti-Apartheid resistance movement in South Africa. It sounds fascinating, it’s attracted rave reviews, and it moves north to open at the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne (no show Wednesday for a special event).

The Sessions– John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, and William H. Macy star in this comedy/drama about a man in an iron lung who wants to have sex. It opens this week at the Yes Cinema in Columbus and Movie Buff Theatre in Indianapolis.

Silver Linings Playbook– The new film from director David O. Russell is a romantic drama starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. “All Pat’s parents want is for him to get back on his feet—and to share their family’s obsession with their favorite Philadelphia football team. When Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own, things get complicated.” It holds over at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema, AMC Castleton Square 14 in Indianapolis and AMC Schererville 16.

Talaash– This Bollywood crime thriller starring Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, and Rani Mukerji holds over at the Republic Theaters Georgetown 14 in Indianapolis. If it has an official website a quick Google search didn’t bring it up, but I did find the official Facebook page and that’s where the title link will take you.

FESTIVALS, REPERTORY SCREENINGS, AND MORE

Indianapolis and Central Indiana

The Great American Songbook Movie Series at the Palladium in Carmel continues tonight with Mary Poppins. The series is co-presented by the Heartland Festival. Tickets are $7.50 and the movie starts at 7:30.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is the weekend movie at the historic and community-run Artcraft Theatre in Franklin. The December Christmas movie program at the Artcraft is so popular that they’ve added a matinee on Sunday to meet demand; showtimes are 2 and 7:30 Friday and Saturday and 2 on Sunday. If the last two weeks are any guide, and they likely are, the Friday and Saturday night shows will sell out- so buy your tickets ahead.

The not-quite-monthly showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Irving is tomorrow at midnight; doors open at 11 and tickets are $6.

It must be finals: this weekend is it until January at the IU Cinema. The fall season ends tonight with a final showing of indie drama The Comedy (is the title bold or foolhardy?); the director will speak today at 3 in the Jorgensen Guest Filmmaker Lecture Series.

Korean comedy In Another Country and documentaries The Flat and Orchestra of Exiles are the weekend movies in the Ryder film series at IU; no show of The Flat on Sunday.

It’s a Wonderful Life will be shown tomorrow at 8 and Sunday at 3 at the Yes Cinema in Columbus. The Saturday show will be preceded by a concert by a local music group.

Northern Indiana

Thanks to the Cinema Center, this section doesn’t go completely dark while the university towns are on winter break. Tonight is a screening of the new indie Saving Grace B. Jones at 5; it’s set and was filmed in Missouri and stars a lineup of where-have-they-been familiar faces: Penelope Ann Miller, Michael Biehn, Tatum O’Neal, and Piper Laurie. The very well-reviewed documentary First Position, about aspiring ballet dancers, is Sunday at 2 at the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne. There will be a Q&A with the director via Skype after the screening. Finally, special event-wise, Wednesday is The Startup Kids, a new documentary about young web entrepreneurs, at 7:30.

NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND

The KAC promises Bill Murray as FDR in Hyde Park on Hudson on December 21.

From December 27-29, the IMA will have three showings of the documentary Beauty Is Embarrassing about Wayne White, one of the co-creators of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse. The same three days will bring three showings of the documentary Chasing Ice: “In 2005, National Geographic photographer James Balog was dispatched to the Arctic on a tricky assignment: to capture images of the Earth’s changing climate. Surpassing skepticism and sparked by the challenge, soon the photographer conceived a bold expedition: the Extreme Ice Survey.” Both films, which will be shown in The Toby, are co-presented by the Heartland Festival; tickets are $9/ $5 for IMA members.

The IU Cinema reopens the weekend of January 10 with several showings of Tabu: “A love story told in two unique parts, TABU is, quite simply, a film unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Deftly moving between contemporary Portugal, colonial Africa and the landscape of dreams, director Miguel Gomes conjures an enthralling story of obsession, memory and dangerous forbidden romance.”

That’s a lot going on! I caught the trailers for Hitchcock and Silver Lining s Playbook, and both seemed interesting to me. I might get off my duff over the holidays and check one or both out. I know I’m seeing the Hobbit tomorrow as part of a gang. I’ve heard mixed reviews and am going in with a neutral attitude, but it’s necessary to keep my nerd/geek levels up.

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK tops my to-see list right now. I’m signed up for a group outing for THE HOBBIT tomorrow. After watching it get longer and longer in production I’ve reached the point where I just hope there are enough lovely moments to compensate for the excessive running time.

Mike

Dec 17 2012

Just noticed that this week’s NUVO says that the doc Lost Angels: Skid Row Is My Home will be shown at 7 PM, Tuesday, December 18, at the Athanaeum in downtown Indianapolis. A $10 donation is suggested; the screening is a benefit for Indy’s 100K Homes Campaign, per NUVO.

Two updates from Manoranjan’s site: Neethaane En Ponvasantham, a Tamil language romantic drama, is “Now Screening with English Subtitles” through Thursday at the Georgetown 14 in Indianapolis….

while the next two films on their schedule are set to open at a “New Location”, Indy’s Movie Buff Theater- another sign that that venue will be showing more exclusive/limited releases, I hope,,,,

Mike

Dec 19 2012

And just tonight, I saw that the Georgetown 14’s Facebook page says that they will be showing the Indian film Matru ki Bijlee ka Mandola- in Hindi, with English subtitles- starting January 11 as part of the “Georgetown Digital Cinemas International Film Series”. This sounds very cool and exciting; I am looking forward to seeing what else will be part of the series.